LSBU Journalistshttp://www.lsbu-multimedia-journalists.co.uk
The network of LSBU journalists sitesFri, 24 May 2019 17:36:24 +0000en-US
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3232Drug use at University – an empire ran by students for studentshttp://www.lsbu-multimedia-journalists.co.uk/gerucka/2019/05/24/drug-use-at-university-an-empire-ran-by-students-for-students/
Fri, 24 May 2019 17:36:24 +0000http://241.259It is no secret that once a person heads off to University, they are more likely to try out new things such as drugs and alcohol. What many people may not realise is the type and number of drugs that students use. In this investigative piece, I set off to find out the ins and outs of drug use at University as well as the people who provide students with illegal substances. Locating and buying drugs has become extremely easy with social media being a large portal for these types of interactions as a Nottingham Trent University student recalls “When I first tried MDMA, the people who gave it me bought it on a night out after messaging somebody on Instagram. That’s it. Within 40 minutes I was high.” The availability of drugs is a big part of the issue. With drug dealers even having “Freshers deals” during Freshers at the beginning of each academic year where many of the first years get to try out drugs for a very reduced price. “I first tried drugs during Freshers when I was approached by a dealer who said that I could have a gram for £10, which I thought was a great price. A couple of weeks later the price more than doubled to £25 as the dealer knew that we were going to come back for more no matter what.” the student from Lincoln recalls. “Now I get texts from him about offers he has on weed and often I will buy some weed just because of a good deal. It’s a vicious cycle.” Many dealers even have delivery services where a car will drop by to provide you with whatever you have ordered, thus making access to illegal substances even easier than it was a couple of years ago. “My dealer just drives up outside my accommodation, I go meet him and then I’m sorted for the night before I’ve even gone into town.” I had a chance to speak to a local drug dealer named Krazy K about what led him to dealing. “It was something I fell into after I started hanging out with some guys from my college who were using certain drugs like Xanax and weed. At first, we would just go on drives and hang out but eventually, we started making more and more ‘drops’ and before I knew it, I was given a certain amount to sell around my area.” He recalls. “You could say that I didn’t go into it willingly, but its good money and now I’m at the top of the food chain after many of my associates have gone under.” What was most interesting about our interview was that Krazy K had not done anything stronger than weed even though he regularly sells MDMA and Ketamine to students in the area. “This is a business just like anything else. I must stay sober any time between 10am to 2am in order to provide for my clients. I can’t do that if I’m tripping on MDMA.” He exclaimed. “I’ve been called a hypocrite before because I don’t use most of the drugs that I sell. I gotta stay sober if I want to make money.” When asked if he would ever quit the business he said “Eventually, sure. But not right now. I live near my university, so business is booming daily. Maybe I’d quit if I got caught, but there’s no way that’ll happen.” The National Union of Students carried out a survey in February 2018 into drug use at University. 39 percent of students who responded to their survey were using drugs at the time of the survey, and a further 17 percent had done drugs in the past, which means that 56 percent of people who responded had used drugs at some point in their lives. The 56 percent of respondents who had used drugs at some point were asked which drugs they used and the findings highlighted that cannabis was the most commonly used drug with 94 percent having tried it at some point and MDMA coming in second at 50 percent followed by cocaine which 37 percent of students admitted to using. The least popular drugs between students were non-prescribed study-drugs such as Ritalin which only 20 percent of students who have done drugs had tried. This research shows quite an alarming trend in the type of drugs that are the most popular such as Ecstasy/MDMA which are known to cause long term effects such as: depression, sleep problems, and anxiety. And cocaine which can cause heart attacks and respiratory problems. I spoke to Steve (name changed to protect identity), a student at Sheffield Hallam University, about his drug habits. When talking to him about his drug experience prior to university he said “No, didn’t want to do drugs whilst living with my parents, too much of a risk. Didn’t want to try them at that age either.” I asked him if peer pressure and influence from people around him had anything to do with him trying drugs at University. “A little bit but going into university I had the attitude of I want to at least try them to see what they are like.” He carried on “I think everyone goes into university with this kind of mindset, which isn’t bad. I think its good to want to try new things even if they’re illegal as long as you’re being smart and surround yourself with people you can trust.” When asked about any bad experience he has had with drugs, he didn’t hesitate to answer “Tab of acid, at a BBQ. I couldn’t leave the situation as well, due to the acid.” He recalls “The entire environment was bad for doing the drugs: loud music, new people and incredibly warm. Started to freak out due to everything and had the thought in my head, it’s not going to end? As it’s a 12-hour trip.” Lastly, I was curious about whether he worries about his drug habit “No. I know if I need to, I can stop. But sometimes when I’m out drinking and nothing else, I feel the urge to call my dealer for some. It’s definitely a hard cycle to escape but I’m not worried about it at all because I know that when the time comes, I’ll drop everything.” And what drugs he would stay away from “Heroin, Spice, Mamba, Crack are the kind of drugs that are known to be very addictive and causes homelessness. I would definitely stay away from them at all costs.” Steve’s experience with drugs has been a mostly positive one, and he is convinced that he has no issues with illegal substances and that this is all fun that will come to a natural end once he finishes University. I reached out to Lara, a student from Oxford Brookes, to see how her experiences with drugs have differed. When asked whether her drug use stemmed from peer pressure she told me “Without the influence of my peers I definitely wouldn’t have done drugs before university, but drug culture at university means if you’re not religiously or fully sickened by the idea then you will probably do it. Especially when its literally everywhere.” When it came to her drug habits, she was relatively concerned. “My drug habits definitely worry me because I’ve really gone off getting drunk. I feel out of control, and once you realise how cheap a drug night out is it’s hard to appreciate a normal night out just drinking.” She carried on. ” And I definitely think they’re gateway drugs. As you do more and realise that you don’t literally die like everyone says so you start thinking you’re invincible and start doing dangerous amounts and mixes of drugs.” Lastly, I asked her if there is anything educators can do to stop this kind of drug use by students. “No, drugs are such a huge part of the university experience. The news and media make us seem like some kind of desperate, sad bunch that needs drugs to get through the day. But its really not like that, we do them to have fun and unwind. If you think about it, drugs are hardly worse than alcohol if enough of it is consumed. The only difference is that what we do is illegal.” Related Images: [See image gallery at www.lsbu-multimedia-journalists.co.uk]

]]>London Lovehttp://www.lsbu-multimedia-journalists.co.uk/ehrlicher/2019/05/16/london-love/
Thu, 16 May 2019 15:17:26 +0000http://269.388London, this city’s been fascinating me since my first travel here. 5 years later I’m sitting on my bed in my Londoner apartment and preparing myself to fly to Vienna over the weekend. I am so excited to see my friend but looking out of the window and thinking I don’t want to leave is weird. I don’t know what it is about this city but only after one year, it has become my home. I love London in every single way, by night and day time, from north to south and from east to west. The people, the architecture, the culture, the food, even the tourists and god I love the weather. Yes, I agree very unusual to say that but where else has the weather its own mood? And every time I drive across the river I feel some kind of secureness in me. As a proud south Londoner, the highlight of my day is to travel across the river. I was born in the countryside I am a country girl and that’s my blood status. Personally, I think you have to stick to that because I am not a country girl. Id likes to see me as the lion who is the queen of the big city jungle. (I know this metaphor was rather bad as there are no lions in the jungle but, whatever. London is crazy and it is so unique. This anonymity that the city gives you is kind of secure and scary at the same time. So every day I try to survive in this rather interesting city. Surrounded by exotic cuisines, friendly and not so friendly people, tourists trying to find the London eye on Westminster bridge and all this under the arms of this city who carries me along like a mom its child.

]]>Independence in Corsicahttp://www.lsbu-multimedia-journalists.co.uk/onetti/2019/05/15/independence-in-corsica/
Wed, 15 May 2019 15:30:45 +0000http://289.757The island of Corsica is a popular tourist Mediterranean destination off the French coasts. It is known for its wonderful landscapes which attract millions of tourists each year. We have heard that many locals are not happy about being part of France for many reasons, political movements are created for that and they fight for their independence. JLDN reporter, Juliana Onetti spoke to some of them to know why they think it would benefit Corsica to become independent. Related Images: [See image gallery at www.lsbu-multimedia-journalists.co.uk]

]]>The Great British Bark Off a dogs competition in Hampstead Heathhttp://www.lsbu-multimedia-journalists.co.uk/onetti/2019/05/15/the-great-british-bark-off-a-dogs-competition-in-hampstead-heath/
Wed, 15 May 2019 15:24:54 +0000http://289.753This Sunday, May 5th 2019, was held in Hampstead Heath Park, the Great British Bark Off. The competition which rewarded dogs in various categories such as cutest pup, golden oldies and best rescue, aimed to raise money for the association All Dogs Matter, a charity which rehouses abandoned dogs in London. Related Images: [See image gallery at www.lsbu-multimedia-journalists.co.uk]

]]>To beer or not to beer? – Average price of pints set to risehttp://www.lsbu-multimedia-journalists.co.uk/matharu/2019/05/15/to-beer-or-not-to-beer-average-price-of-pints-set-to-rise/
Wed, 15 May 2019 14:14:25 +0000http://275.120International research has showed that global warming may cause a decline in barley production one of the key ingredients to making which would affect the price and consumption in 34 regions. A rise in the global temperature and an increased risk of drought in some areas would have a knock-on effect worldwide. Researchers based in the US, China, Mexico and the University of East Anglia created a model to assess the effects of climate change or global production barley. The findings showed that in the UK, a drop from 3.7 billion to 1.3 billion litres in the amount of beer drank annually is predicted. Nations famous for their production of beer, such as Belgium, Ireland and Czech Republic were forecast to be amongst the worst hit. This is because of the high beer consumption and brewing factories. This means that the average price of a pint across the UK is predicted to rise over the coming years. For university students that choose to drink, this may be important information to note. Currently, the average price of a pint across the UK is highest in London, where it stands at £5.19. at less than half of the price however, you can get a pint for £2.35 in Carlisle. pints 1111 The National Union of Students has recently released the findings of a survey on students’ relationships to alcohol. The survey was completed by 2,215 students in higher education which explores students’ behaviour towards, attitudes to, and perceptions of alcohol use. They found alcohol use to be relatively common but many reported not drinking alcohol at all. The survey results also provide insight into the perceptions that students hold in relation to their peers, themselves and alcohol – these levels have also been rising through recent years. With both drinking levels, and pint prices rising, it is important to consider the prices of alcohol when choosing to study at university. The top universities for nightlife are Leeds, Liverpool, Manchester, Newcastle and Northumbria. Of those universities, the average price pint varies around £3.80, with Northumbria being the cheapest at £3.74. There is a general trend between universities just below Scotland (Northern England) and good, cheap nights out. Wherever you may decide to study, consider the average price pint, and whether the cost of a fun night out is worth the student debt hangover. ‘To beer or not to beer?’ – that really is the question.

]]>The Cost of Knife Crime on Southwark’s Hospitalshttp://www.lsbu-multimedia-journalists.co.uk/mbu/2019/05/15/the-cost-of-knife-crime-on-southwarks-hospitals/
Wed, 15 May 2019 12:32:14 +0000http://276.382The cost of Knife crime in the borough of Southwark is increasing yearly, with just over 700 knife related incidents last year. The highest in the capital. The knife crime epidemic has come to the forefront of the news in recent years as we have seen knife related injuries and crimes increase. The average cost of a stab wound according to the Home office is £851, and with the borough having the highest knife crime statistics in the capital, the cost on the NHS reaches its millions. Knife crime puts a tremendous strain on the National health service and seeing patients with sometimes chunks and gashes taken out of them can be quite a traumatic experience. But what is the cause of the rise in knife crime? Is it a cultural issue or a government issue? The government have cut funding to NHS services and police services consistently for the last 8/9 years, police personnel were 3.3% of the London population per 1000 Londoners. This is a 0.8% decrease over a 9 year period. Less police personnel on the streets of London could be a factor as to why knife crime is increasing. The police are continuously failing to get a grip of the problem and the cuts in police personnel and resources no doubt plays a part in it. These cuts to police services also put more of a strain on the already overflowing NHS, which in its own respect is having to cut down on its spending too. Are these government cuts breeding newer issues on the streets of London, and stretching already stretched services? Kim Hamilton, 58 lives in the borough and she claims to be, ‘scared to go out at night.’ as she has seen a rise in hooded youngsters and some wearing balaclavas. Hospitals in the area include Guy’s Hospital and St Thomas’ Hospital, some of the most highly recognised NHS run facilities in the country and they are well respected for the specialised work they do. However, the cuts to NHS staffing costs reached its hundreds of millions and 107,743 job posts are left unfilled, this no doubt has hit the hospitals in Southwark. Jamie Dawson, 33 told me he was waiting up to 4 hours to be seen. And recent numbers show you can be waiting up to four and a half months for surgery. Knife crime in the borough exceeds the number of knife related crimes anywhere else in the capital, and it has done for many years. Can parents be doing anything to prevent the rise in knife crime? its a question put to Londoner Tony Walsh, 54. He says, ‘Yes most definitely, its not hard to spot the signs with your kid surely? if they’re dressing a certain way as seen amongst youngsters nowadays or talking a certain way you should take much more of an interest on who they socialise with or where they are at all times.’ Related Images: [See image gallery at www.lsbu-multimedia-journalists.co.uk]

]]>INFO GRAPHICWorkbookhttp://www.lsbu-multimedia-journalists.co.uk/mbu/2019/05/15/info-graphicworkbook/
Wed, 15 May 2019 11:52:17 +0000http://276.305. Looking at different infographics . Looked into how to plot data on the respective and appropriate charts .we looked at factual data from different perspectives, eg, newspapers .political based . I’ve decided to find data on knife crime and the cost it has on the NHS .I found data from the house of Commons library, it told me that Southwark has the highest knife rime in the capital .This has led to me decided to focus on the borough of Southwark as the university resides in this borough .By choosing to look at Southwark specifically it also helps narrow down the data .Im planning to contact the local hospitals and to research the amount of patients admitted into hospital with blade related injuries. . I also found data on the Met police data website which helped narrow down knife related crimes which took place in Southwark. They have a slider option which helps narrow down the timescale of when you want to see the crime, for example you can put the first slider to January 2019 and the other march 2019. http:// https://www.met.police.uk/sd/stats-and-data/ . I plan to also briefly touch on the police funding in my 500 word support piece, but I will not go overboard on it as its not my main focus on the story, I will simply suggest that the cuts to police funding and police officer numbers, may have caused a rise in knife crime, which then puts further pressure and stress on an already struggling NHS. .I have also found Data sets which also talk about knife crime on the office for national statistics https://www.ons.gov.uk/peoplepopulationandcommunity/crimeandjustice/datasets/offencesinvolvingtheuseofweaponsdatatables .Old statistics from the Mirror, however I have contacted the Department of Health and Social care as they were involved in the figures shown by the Newspaper, I have submitted a freedom of information form.https://www.mirror.co.uk/news/world-news/knife-crimes-cost-nhs-270-1690249 . I have found more data on the cost of stabbings, the data I take a keen interest in is on this website,https://assets.publishing.service.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploads/attachment_data/file/732110/the-economic-and-social-costs-of-crime-horr99.pdf .And the important data can be found under section 5.4.3, table 17. the important figure is stabbings . further progress made on my infographic on Visme. I’ve started to focus on the colours, simple is usually effective, no need to go over the top. I’ve started to add further text, and even included my twitter handle which I think is a really cool idea. . My next plan of action is to start to plan my support story. I want to go and ask hospital workers on the stress it adds. . I want to find police officers and ask then about police cuts . I want to also talk about the dip in offences around the 2012-2014 time period, talk about this potentially being due to the olympics, and the country trying to maintain the ‘olympic legacy’ and more clubs being ran to get young people into sports. . I have added knifes to show the statistics, as it is called an infoGRAPHIC . scratched the Infographic above, although i like the look of it, THE PICTURE MUST TELL THE STORY .As you can see, this image tells the story a bit better, it could be improved on BUT i’ll see where those improvements need to be made .As you can also see, i have plugged my twitter handle in the bottom right hand corner . I also gained more stats from http://moderngov.southwark.gov.uk/documents/s79435/Presentation%20Overview%20of%20Youth%20Violence%20and%20Knife%20Crime%20in%20Southwark.pdf . Both previous designs were clearly not good enough. so I’ve tweaked it and gone with this Related Images: [See image gallery at www.lsbu-multimedia-journalists.co.uk]

]]>Deforestation rises for the first time in a decadehttp://www.lsbu-multimedia-journalists.co.uk/bisso/2019/05/15/deforestation-rises-for-the-first-time-in-a-decade/
Wed, 15 May 2019 07:43:38 +0000http://271.235For over half a century the Amazon rainforest has fallen victim to deforestation. It produces over 20% of the oxygen in the world. In 2018 the rate of deforestation rose for the first time in a decade. INPE, Brazil’s leading force in special research projects, has said that in the years 2017-18 Brazil lost a total area of 7,900km². A staggering 41% above the official target. This came after president Jair Bolsonaros’s new Brazilian government merged the agricultural and environmental ministries in order to cut costs. In result, the influence of the environmental agency has weakened. Meaning that it’s now easier to pass laws that support agriculture, even if they have a negative environmental impact. Bolsonaro also pledged to cap fines on destroying rainforest areas. However, fines that are due from before 2008 won’t need to be paid. This came as a surprise; the years 1994-2004 were the worst years for deforestation ever on record. Brazil’s deforestation detection system: SAD, noticed a 24% increase in forest loss from August 2018 to march this year. This was labeled ‘legal’ deforestation. It’s certain that the government would’ve known about this. The demand for Brazil’s natural products is ever-growing. In order to maintain it’s economic growth, it’s clear why the government would encourage this scale of farming. Brazil remains one of the fastest growing economies in the world. Two of Brazil’s biggest exports are soya beans and meat. They contribute a total of $46.8 Billion a year to its economy, a total of 20% of total exports. With this comes serious environmental cost, as both soya and cattle farming require several acres to yield. There are also other factors contributing to Amazonian destruction. The illegal logging industry is still active. Often linked to drug and arms trafficking; in the last year, police filed a total of 823 criminal charges against logging-related offenses. Greenpeace Brazil has warned against the severity of deforestation. They say that the rainforest is essential to balance the greenhouse emissions in South America. There is also worries as the worlds extreme level of oil consumption continues. Many areas of the forests are being lost in hopes that crude mining explorations may be a success. Hydroelectric projects have left huge areas of the Amazon flooded. As well as this, plants are built to power the cattle and soy farms as well as industrial mines. The Brazillian government has already planned to build several more dams in the next 20 years. Brazil’s ever-expanding road network has also taken its toll on the rainforest. In it’s bid to maintain economic growth, roads and train networks have been built to help with logistics the surging demand for its natural resources. Brazil is growing. But it’s diverse rainforest is doing the opposite. The question now is are they able to find a sustainable rate of farming and serious efforts to re-plant and cultivate?

]]>Digital Journalism Two Workbookhttp://www.lsbu-multimedia-journalists.co.uk/raidhan/2019/05/15/digital-journalism-two-workbook/
Wed, 15 May 2019 00:59:57 +0000http://279.37518/03/19: Topic for Infographic: Suicide Highest suicide rates? Male or Female or both? In the UK were is the highest suicide rate? 01/05/19: Plan: To create an infographic informing people in the UK on the facts and figures of suicide. This is to highlight to anyone who would read this to reach out to anyone to help/get them help. Also, create this awareness for any one thinking of suicide to try and get some help. Sources: World Health Organization, Mental Health Organization. World Health Organizations data didn’t give me the data needed to create an infographic, therefore I am looking to other sources. Samaritans have produced their own information using data that is currently unknown, have contacted them via Twitter. 02/05/19: Samaritans get their data from the ONS (Office for National Statistics) Only data available is from 2017 onwards. 5,821 deaths due to suicide were registered in 2017. Male suicide is at its lowest since 1981. Male suicide us at 15.5 deaths per 100,000 compared to female which is 4.9 deaths per 100,00. 45-49 are ages most common in men whereas, 50-54 is the most common in women. Scotland has the highest amount of rates and England the lowest. Plan for the Infographic: Create a graph showing the highest rates in the UK for women and men. Show the difference between women and men. At this point in my infographic I started to struggle and realised that I didn’t really have an angle. I also didn’t know how to go about it. I then waited to meet with LJ after Easter to get guidance on how to fix this issue and create an angle. LJ suggested writing my Infographic story and the creating the Infographic. 29/04/19: Infographic Story Plan: Introduction: Discuss the rates of Male suicide, the areas in the UK it is at its highest (Scotland), the ages and what families go through one takes their life. Paragraph One: Talk about ‘Calm Project Eight Four’, the life of a mans daughter and her experience since her father took his own life- the causes of his death. Include discussions about society: the change in society allowing mental health to be more openly discussed, how some parts of society aren’t changing and how we need to change to create a change. Paragraph Two: Include talks about the health care system, how many of those included in ‘Calm Project 84’, discussed the fact that the NHS didn’t give enough help and often turned them away. Refer to the story of those lives lost through their family members. Paragraph Three: Small discussion about social media, its impact and how its helped but also caused a stir in terms of mental health. As, much as it allows the topic to be talked openly- is that really a good thing? Conclusion: One line to end the story on a dramatic note. Infographic Plan: Title Quote from ‘Calm Project Eight Four’ Graph from ONS using data of the highest male suicide rates in the UK. 45-49 most common age in male suicide Graph of suicide by in 2017 Scotland had the highest male suicide rate in 2017. Graph showing the decline in male suicide rates since 1981. After meeting with Michael he suggested changing my infographic around, as the colours didn’t make it very clear and I have two graphs overlapping just with a different header. I also need to add a map and change the image of the figures to actual counted figures. Also, the Infographic story has too many angle and needs one focus point leaving a trail of the Infographic. 01/05/19: New Infographic Story Plan: Introduction: Keeping the same introduction just dramatizing it less and adding more facts in to keep it to the point. Paragraph One: Talk about ‘Calm Project Eight Four’, the life of a mans daughter and her experience since her father took his own life- the causes of his death. Include discussions about society: the change in society allowing mental health to be more openly discussed, how some parts of society aren’t changing and how we need to change to create a change. Paragraph Two: Discuss points made in article byThe British Psychological Society’, written by Dr Funke. About how health issues in middle aged men is the reason behind why suicide isn’t diagnosed by health professionals and how 45-49 is the highest rate in male suicide. Conclusion: Talk about mental health, the evolve of society, the organisations now out there available and how ‘CALM PROJECT 84’, is encouraging men to speak out before ending their life. Infographic Plan: Keep the same title and quote. Change the graph, only highlighting the highest rates in the UK and also changing the colour scheme to make it clearer. Add figures representing the rates of different ages of male suicide, highlighting and quoting ages 45-49. Add a map showing Scotland to have the highest rates since 2005 (Northern Ireland used to have the highest). Also add a little graph showing the rates are higher for men than women (15.5 for men and 4.9 for women). Add a quote of the suicide rate in total in the UK. Also include hotlines that wold be useful to both men and women of different ages. Sources: https://www.ons.gov.uk/peoplepopulationandcommunity/birthsdeathsandmarriages/deaths/bulletins/suicidesintheunitedkingdom/2017registrations https://www.bps.org.uk/blogs/dr-funke-baffour/male-suicide-silent-epidemic https://www.projecteightyfour.com

]]>Infographic: Male Suicidehttp://www.lsbu-multimedia-journalists.co.uk/raidhan/2019/05/15/infographic-male-suicide/
Wed, 15 May 2019 00:00:37 +0000http://279.371Decline in male suicide rates since 1980 In the UK alone in 2017 5,821 people committed suicide and 4,382 of those deaths were male. Since records can show there have been more male deaths to female, the highest rate being in 1988 and has slowly decreased over the years- this year being the lowest rating since 1981. Although, the correlation for female deaths has stayed pretty consistent. Also, since up until 2005 Norther Ireland had the highest suicide rate in the UK, although since then Scotland’s rates have seen a rise and have stayed pretty consistent since then. A charity called CALM Project Eighty-Four, gathered stories of 84 male suicides and placed 84 statue figures around South Bank, London to emphasis the 84 lives lost each week. Daughter of Paul Andrew Titley says: “Leading up to his death. He kept up his lovable, happy-go-lucky front.” This is just part of her story and of many others who have said the same thing- MEN DO NOT TALK. This is still a struggle that hasn’t resolved it self since 1981 and contributes to a wide scale of male suicides. It is through how one is perceived through society that drives that person to become more suicidal, as it plays with their emotions and insecurities. The world may be changing, although as people we are not changing- if we become more open minded and changed the way we think the suicide rates would see a further decline. Furthermore, doctors don’t realize in older men that they are suffering from suicide in fact in an article released for ‘The British Psychological Society’, Dr Funke Baffour says: “Health professionals may be overlooking the signs of depression. Thus focusing on other problems such as heart disease, which can cause depressive symptoms, as well as medications that can have depressive side effects.” This explains why the highest male suicides reside in men aged 45-49, as this is the age in which men suffer many health issues and could be a reason for health professionals not realizing it is depression. Adding to the above, men have a tendency to not express their emotion like women, in fact a lot of the time it is quite well hidden and thus why a lot of the time no one is able to pick it up. The evolve of society, how publicly mental health is now talked about and how many well sought out organizations there are now plays a huge role in why there has been a decline in mental health since 1980. This source of help was not there 38 years ago, men didn’t have a place to vent, a place they could just call and be heard without being judged. There is now help offered to those who suffer with mental health, medication that can be prescribed and centers that they can be referred to. This is why ‘CALM Project 84’ is encouraging men who are suffering to seek help, talk to someone and prevent them from taking their own life before its too late. As, a community if we work together to raise more and more awareness we can help bring those death rates down.